During the last three meditations, we developed an indirect advice given to us by St. Anthony Abbot, a wise desert father. In this context, we reflected on the combat in what we hear, speak and look at, and saw how necessary it is to place these important areas of human life under God’s dominion and to defend them against multiple attacks.
The combat in what we look at
Let us meditate once more on these words of St. Anthony Abbot:
“He who sits in the desert and seeks to have a calm heart, has been spared from three combats: that of listening, that of speech and that of sight. He has only one battle left to fight: the battle against impurity”.
The last two days, we had reflected on the fight against what we hear and what we speak. Today, we will devote ourselves to the struggle in relation to what we look at.
The combat in what we speak
In today’s meditation, we continue the theme we had begun yesterday, in memory of Saint Anthony Abbot. Let us listen again to the words of this father of the desert, to continue to describe the combat that we Christians are called to wage:
“He who sits in the desert and seeks to be calm of heart, has been spared from three combats: the combat of listening, the combat of speech and the combat of sight. He has only one battle left to fight: the battle against impurity”.
The combat in what we hear
Eph 6:10-13,18
Reading corresponding to the memorial of St. Anthony Abbot
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. Read More
God sees the heart
1 Sam 16:1-13
The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me him whom I name to you.”
The life of the hermits
In the traditional calendar, today is the memorial of Saint Paul, the hermit. We will therefore listen to the reading appropriate to this occasion. If you prefer a meditation that corresponds to today’s calendar, you can find it here: http://en.elijamission.net/the-value-of-fasting/
Phil 3:7-12
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Read More
The body, a temple of the Holy Spirit
1 Cor 6:13-20 (Reading from the Novus Ordo)
Brethern, Foods are for the stomach, and the stomach is for foods; and God will destroy them both. But the body is not for sexual immorality; it is for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. God raised up the Lord and he will raise us up too by his power. Do you not realise that your bodies are members of Christ’s body; do you think one can take parts of Christ’s body and join them to the body of a prostitute? Out of the question! But anyone who attaches himself to the Lord is one spirit with him. Keep away from sexual immorality.
Power and authority
1 Sam 9:1-4,17-19; 10:1a (Reading from the Novus Ordo)
There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abi′el, son of Zeror, son of Beco′rath, son of Aphi′ah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth; and he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he; from his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people. Now the asses of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the servants with you, and arise, go and look for the asses.” And they[a] passed through the hill country of E′phraim and passed through the land of Shal′ishah, but they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Sha′alim, but they were not there.
God alone is our King
1 Sam 8:4-7,10-22a (Reading from the Novus Ordo)
The elders of Israel all assembled, went back to Samuel at Ramah, and said, ‘Look, you are old, and your sons are not following your example. So give us a king to judge us, like the other nations.’ Samuel thought that it was wrong of them to say, ‘Let us have a king to judge us,’ so he prayed to Yahweh. But Yahweh said to Samuel, ‘Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you: it is not you they have rejected but me, not wishing me to reign over them anymore. Everything that Yahweh had said, Samuel then repeated to the people who were asking him for a king.
Believing, listening and doing God’s will
Mk 1:40-45 (Reading from the Novus Ordo)
And a leper came to him beseeching him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And he sternly charged him, and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to any one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to the people.” But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.